Hospital
by phoenix silsby
Summary: Warning: Contains potential triggers and spoilers for episode 3x14. Dave has a conversation with someone unexpected whilst in hospital.


**A/N:** This story contains mentions of suicide and potential triggers. It involves an original character I have been developing but I wanted to post this now I've finished it even though it doesn't quite fit the timeline I've been working on. Just remember it does get better and anyone who feels like life is getting to much should find someone to talk to as it really does help.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own glee, however Amelia is someone of my own creation.

**Hospital**

The atmosphere in the hospital room was tense, both Kurt and Dave still had tear tracks running down their faces and were sat in silence, neither sure exactly what to say. At a soft knock on the door both boys looked up to see a curly haired girl standing in the doorway.

'Mind if I come in?' She asked, before taking a seat on the other side of Dave's bed. 'Blaine couldn't find a parking space so he's waiting for you in the car Kurt.'

'I should go then.' Kurt replied before turning to Dave. 'Will you be ok?'

'I don't know.' He replied as his eyes started to glisten again.

'Don't worry.' The new arrival replied, 'if Dave's ok with it I was hoping to talk to him.'

'Ok, Amelia.' Kurt responded. 'See you Dave.'

Kurt left the room and Dave turned to the girl in his room. He still had no idea who she was, but at least he had a name now. 'So Amelia, who exactly are you?'

'I'm Blaine's cousin. He thought you could use someone to talk to.' She replied. 'Now I understand you probably don't want to talk as you don't know me, but if you were happy to just listen I think you'll find I can help.'

'Ok.' He replied weakly. 'I suppose it can't make it any worse.'

'I've been at McKinley nearly 3 months now' Amelia said. 'Feel like I'm actually fitting in, making new friends, only been slushied once which seems to be a glee club record. If you'd have met me a year ago you wouldn't have realised I was the same person, you see I was definitely a problem child. Moved from England 6 months ago with my adoptive parents and it was the best decision we ever made.'

There was a pause as if Amelia was trying to get her thoughts in order.

'I was adopted 2 years ago, my real parents aren't worth the air they breathe and I was in care for 5 years before the Andersons came along. I spent a majority of my time with the wrong crowd, drinking and stealing which as you can imagine meant I was moved between foster homes so regularly I stopped bothering to unpack. When I was adopted my life changed dramatically and realising someone cared about what I was doing, who I was with and where I was made me rebel even more.'

She took another deep breath.

'Don't get me wrong, the Andersons are amazing , I couldn't have found a better family, but I wasn't used to being under what felt initially like constant surveillance and acted badly, I wasn't expecting it to last any longer than the others so when the move began to feel permanent I felt trapped. That was when things took a turn for the worst; I was bullied at school for being the adopted kid and started bullying myself to get people to leave me alone. Unfortunately it didn't work, just egged them on even more.'

At this point Dave decided to join the conversation, this girl seemed so put together before she started talking and he didn't understand how her story was going to help.

'I get you had a hard start but I don't see how this is going to help, our situations are total different?'

'You'll see.' She replied. 'We may have had different starts but our stories end in the same place. If you don't want me to continue I understand.'

'You tried to kill yourself?' Dave asked in shock, this girl really didn't look like she'd had a suicidal thought in her life, let alone made an attempt.

Amelia paused and gazed to the side as if lost in thought.

'You know even though I've been at McKinley nearly 3 months and been with the Glee Club since I transferred; only 2 people have noticed I never wear short sleeves. Kurt was the first one to comment, he decided as we are practically family he should be able to take me clothes shopping and Americanise my wardrobe, when I refused anything without full length sleeves he got suspicious and asked me why. The other one was Rory, he was the first person I met at McKinley and has become my best friend in America, possibly because we both feel like we are a long way from home. Last week when he was at my house he asked me, that was when I found out none of the other people I consider friends had found anything suspicious in my behaviour, even when I refused to wear our costumes for sectionals and threatened to come dressed like one of the boys.'

'I decided I had no option left other than to take my life nearly a year ago, I thought there was no way out of the cycle I was in and had been cutting for months so thought it wouldn't take much to go one step further. It was a logical progression as far as I was concerned.'

Dave nodded at this as he'd gone through the same thought process the day before. It had seemed completely logical when he decided to do it, now he wasn't so sure.

'When I woke up I was in hospital, my parents were there with tear streaked cheeks and red eyes and that was the moment I realised they weren't going to abandon me like everyone else had. After living with them for a year, even with everything they had done for me I finally realised I wasn't alone anymore. There really were people who actually cared what I did, didn't just pretend to because it was there job.'

By this point Dave was in tears again, he felt like he'd spent so much time crying over the past few days he should have run out of tears entirely. Amelia looked at him with shiny eyes and a faint smile before continuing her story.

'Today in Glee Mr Schue got us all to sit in a circle and told us we were a family and if we ever felt in trouble we should talk to each other, then he encouraged us to share our stories and thoughts about suicide. I didn't say a word, not one of the people in that room that didn't already know was worth telling my story to. As far as I'm concerned they haven't earnt my trust and therefore I wasn't going to tell them only to have them flood me with fake sympathy or tell me they understood.'

At this point she almost laughed. 'You'll get that a lot by the way, people claiming they know exactly how it feels when they quite clearly don't, you just have to remember they are trying to help. Sympathising is part of human nature and even when all you want to do is scream that they don't know how you're feeling, you should listen.'

Dave was amazed this girl managed to be functioning so well, he didn't think he would ever be the same again, even if it was only a day ago.

'Well I'd say that was pretty much everything I wanted to say, I'm not going to get into the finer details of the situation as in all honesty I want to forget as much as possible and reliving that time is what my councillor is for, have they offered you help yet because I really recommend you ask for it.'

Dave shook his head, 'No one's offered me help I actually want yet.'

'If you want I can pass on the number of my councillor, she's been really helpful with the move and everything. But I'll let you think about it.'

'I don't think so' He replied.

'Well think about it' Amelia responded. 'Any questions before I go? You look like you could use a rest.'

Dave thought for a few minutes before replying. 'I understand if you don't want to show me, but can I see.'

Amelia understood instantly what he meant and nodded before pulling up both her sleeves to show the marks along her wrists and up her forearms, they were like a silvery criss-cross pattern.

'Did it hurt?' Dave asked as he reached forward and took one of her arms in his hand to look closer.

'Like hell' She replied, 'but at the time I thought it was worth it, relief outweighed the pain until I woke up attached to all sorts of tubes, then it was just uncomfortable.' She turned her arm over in Dave's had to show him how the criss-cross pattern went up the other side of her arm. 'Looking back I can say with complete confidence it was the most stupid decision of my life, but I've not had long enough yet to completely believe it.'

'How long will it take before I start to feel like there's a point in carrying on?' Dave asked as a tear fell onto Amelia's forearm. She gently brushed it aside before replying.

'I can't answer that. Only you will know for sure, however I have a proposition for you, if you think it would help matters.'

Dave looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. 'What's your idea then?'

Amelia started slowly tracing the lines on the arm Dave wasn't holding. 'If you promise me you will get help, I will wear the ridiculous dress at sectionals to show you one bad decision shouldn't affect the rest of your life.'

Dave was amazed. 'You've only just met me and you are willing to show your scars and deal with all those questions to help me get over this.'

Amelia shrugged like it was nothing. 'I need to do it for myself and seeing you; has reminded me of what I was like last year. I never want to see anyone in this position again and if I can help it and to be honest me talking to you may have helped me more than it did you.'

'You really want to help me?' Dave asked 'Even my best friends stopped talking to me after they found out I was gay.'

'Have you met my cousin?' Amelia asked with a faint genuine smile. 'Do you really think your sexuality would bother me? I'm concerned you feel like you have no one and I've been there, I know how you feel and I really do want to help.'

'Thank-you.' Dave replied looking away.

Amelia pulled a scrap of paper and pen out of her bag and scribbled down her number before handing it to Dave. 'You need anything, you can call me. I don't care what time it is just call me if things get difficult. When you get out of hospital you're going to need someone who won't look at you with pity.'

Dave took the paper from her and watched as Amelia left before looking at what she'd written, there in curly script next to her mobile number was one word.

Courage.


End file.
